Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (Courgette Muffins)
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My favorite recipe for chocolate chip zucchini muffins (courgette muffins). Made with grated zucchini, vanilla bean paste, crunchy walnuts, and chunks of chopped chocolate, this recipe comes together in 30 minutes, and is a great choice for breakfast or brunch! These muffins will stay moist for several days and are ideal for freezing, too.
Why Make These Zucchini Muffins?
Not long after moving to England to attend pastry school, I visited the local Sainsbury’s supermarket to do my weekly shop. Along with a box of Yorkshire tea and a sleeve of bourbon cream biscuits, I’d planned to pick up a couple of fresh zucchini to make a loaf of my favorite zucchini bread. But when I asked a store employee working in the produce aisle where I might find this staple summer squash, I was met a look of utter confusion.
As it turns out, a zucchini isn’t a “zucchini” in the UK, it’s a “courgette,” although it’s the same smooth, cucumber-shaped green vegetable in everything but name. (See also: rocket vs. arugula, or coriander vs. cilantro…) Years later, I still pause momentarily at the self-checkout, briefly wondering why I can’t find “zucchini” under “Z” before changing course and selecting “C” for “courgette” in order to complete my purchase. “Eggplant” and “aubergine” still cause me the same temporary confusion.
But no matter what you call it, this green summer squash remains in regular rotation in my kitchen, whether I’m cooking in the UK, the US, or somewhere else entirely. Of course zucchini works great in savory recipes—I love making zucchini lasagne by replacing the pasta with thin strips of squash, or sautéing coin-shaped slices with tomatoes, black olives, and balsamic vinegar for a simple summer side. But not unlike carrots and parsnips, zucchini works surprisingly well in baking recipes like this one, adding moisture and sweetness (and plenty of vitamins and minerals) without significantly changing the taste.
Key Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour – In the US, I usually test my recipes with Gold Medal or Pillsbury all purpose flour; in the UK, I prefer McDougall’s plain flour in the red and white striped bag. Visit this post for more on US-UK flour conversions.
- Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar provides sweetness, moisture, and structure. You can substitute another fine sugar, like caster sugar, superfine, or golden caster sugar, measured by weight rather than volume.
- Leavening Agents – Along with two large eggs (make sure they’re at room temperature so the egg blends smoothly into the batter) I’ve used a combination of baking powder and baking soda (bicarb of soda) to help the muffins rise.
- Vegetable Oil – The fat in oil creates a moist, tender muffin with a delicate crumb. You can use vegetable oil, or another neutral-tasting oil such as canola or sunflower oil. Avoid strongly flavored oils like olive or coconut.
- Vanilla Bean Paste – I prefer the vanilla bean pastes made by Nielsen-Massey, Taylor & Colledge, or Simply Organic. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute a good-quality vanilla extract, or the scrapings of a vanilla pod.
- Zucchini – This recipe requires about 260 grams (1 1/2 US cups) of grated zucchini. For tips on choosing, preparing, and grating the squash, see my notes below.
- Dark Chocolate – I’ve stirred 75 grams (about 1/2 cup) of chopped dark chocolate into the batter, but semi sweet, milk, or even white chocolate will taste great, too. I also recommend having some extra chunks or chips available for pressing into the tops of the muffins as a finishing touch. You can replace the chopped chocolate with chocolate chips, or omit the chocolate altogether for a straightforward, less sweet zucchini muffin.
- Walnuts – Chopped walnuts add a crunchy texture. You can replace the walnuts with chopped pecans, or omit the nuts altogether if you want to keep the finished product nut-free for allergy reasons.
Preparing the Zucchini
- Use a box grater. A box grater works best for zucchini. While I love using my Microplane to zest citrus for recipes like lemon whoopie pies and lime truffles, it’s not ideal for zucchini because it shreds it into too-fine pieces.
- Exact quantity may vary. The number of squash will depend on the size and shape of the vegetables you’ve chosen. In total, you’ll need about 260 grams of grated zucchini pieces, which is about 9 ounces or 1 1/2 US cups, loosely packed.
- Do not peel the zucchini. Just wash, trim the ends, and grate with the green skin intact.
Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions
- Add spices. For added flavor, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, or ground cardamom. You can also add bits of candied ginger for a spicy-sweet note.
- Use silicone muffin liners. Silicone muffin liners make it easy to remove the muffins from the pan after baking. You can also use a silicone muffin pan, or disposable paper muffin liners. Do not bake the muffins in an unlined metal tin.
- Make bakery-style tops. Before baking, sprinkle Demerara sugar on top of each muffin for sweetness and crunch. (See this pumpkin muffin recipe for a comparison of muffins topped with sugar versus those without!) If you don’t have Demerara, another coarse sugar like sanding sugar, Turbinado sugar, or Sugar in the Raw will also work.
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Total Time30 minutes
- Yield16-18 muffins 1x
A recipe for zucchini muffins (courgette muffins) with walnuts and chopped dark chocolate.
Ingredients
256 grams all purpose flour (2 cups)
200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
120 milliliters vegetable oil (1/2 cup)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
30 milliliters whole milk (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
260 grams grated zucchini (1 1/2 cups)
75 grams chopped dark chocolate (1/2 cup), plus more for decorating
30 grams chopped walnuts (1/4 cup)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with silicone cupcake liners or disposable paper cupcake liners.
In a mixing bowl, whisk all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable oil, eggs, whole milk, and vanilla bean paste.
Stir in the grated zucchini.
Add wet ingredients to the flour bowl, and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir until just combined. Do not overmix. (Batter will be lumpy.)
Fold in the chopped dark chocolate and chopped walnuts.
Spoon batter into prepared tin.* Press a few extra pieces of chocolate on top for decoration.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown, nicely risen, and spring back lightly when touched.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Store zucchini muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
*Depending on the size of your muffin tin, you might not use all of the batter at once. I filled a 12-cup muffin tin, plus another 6-cup tin.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
To freeze: Remove silicone liners (if using paper liners, you can freeze the muffins in the liners) and layer in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper or parchment. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.
Other Muffin Recipes You Might Enjoy
Strawberry Muffins
Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
Blueberry Muffins
Mixed Berry Cornmeal Muffins
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
